True Shinobi
by Trickster67
Summary: A retelling of True Shinobi by Lightseeker67! What happens when an alien crash landed in the Elemental Nations and wishes to help our favorite blonde Jinchuuriki? A whole new Naruto, but wait what does it mean he can't be Hokage! Smart/Fuuinjutsu Naruto, Strong Hinata and the same OCs with different names and different lives!
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone and welcome to the Naruto True Shinobi! I love this story and was sad when I saw that the original author hadn't written it in a while. So I emailed him and asked if I could adopt the story from him and after a few weeks he said yes! Now since we are two different people, expect some changes to the story. First things first, I've decided that Apollo and the gang are not Gods. I've decided to change that title into something else, something I hope is more original than them just being Gods. So without further ado here is Naruto True Shinobi!

Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

Deep in the abyss of space, a lone figure wandered aimlessly. The infinite darkness was its home and it took great disdain in its loneliness. Out there it couldn't hurt anyone, but it longed for companionship. It longed to be of use to someone, anyone that might need its help. What was the point of having all the power if it couldn't use it for anything? Out of frustration it sent a cube of darkness at a star and the cube consumed the bright ball of fire. The star was gone and the Galaxy it gave light to be engulfed in darkness.

The figure sighed and continued to drift through the emptiness. How it longed to return to its own world, but it was too dangerous for it to do so. It needed a new world to call its own, but which world should it go to? As if to answer its prayers, a world called out to it. When it focused on the world, it felt such loneliness and pain equal to its own. Focusing in on the source, he found a young blonde boy. The boy had spiky hair that went in every direction and whisker marks on his cheeks. The boy couldn't have been older than five years old and was crying.

The figure looked into the boy's heart and saw his life flash before its eyes. It saw his birth, the battle between a great beast and a powerful man that it assumed was his father due to the similar looks. It saw a beautiful redhead woman anchor the beast down with golden chains, while the powerful man began a ritual. It watched as the beast's soul was ripped in half and placed inside the man and the boy.

It saw how the boy was shunned and mistreated by the people he saved from the beast and how lonely he was. It looked into his heart and saw that all he ever wanted was acceptance and it could give that to him. It soared through space, aiming for the boy with the whisker marks and the soul crushing loneliness it knew all too well.

Meanwhile, one Uzumaki Naruto was drying his tears with his sleeve. He knew crying didn't solve anything, so he was going to stop. "Stupid villagers, they'll see. One day, when I'm Hokage, they'll finally respect me and see just how awesome I am!" He kicked a rock off of the Yondaime's head on the Hokage Monument. Naruto had run away from the Orphanage for the umpteenth time. The kids had been calling him 'Demon brat' and the adults, as usual, did nothing to stop it. In fact, he once saw a kid get rewarded for bullying him.

It just wasn't fair! What had he ever done to deserve such scorn? All he wanted in life was for someone to accept him, to love him like the other kids got. Even the orphans received love from the matrons of the Orphanage, but not him. It was like he was the plague or something. Looking up to the night sky, Naurto saw a shooting star.

"Hokage-Jiji says that if you wish upon a shooting star you get a wish… Maybe…" Naruto said. He closed his eyes and wished with all his heart for someone to accept and love him. When he opened his eyes, he saw the star coming right at him! Ducking just in time, the star crashed landed on top of the Yondaime's head and in ground zero was a figure.

"Tadaaaa! Totally stuck that landing and it was as flashy as possible too!" the figure said. Naruto got a good look at the figure. He was huge, standing at least at eight feet. His skin was bronze, his hair was done in dreadlocks and his eyes were golden. He wore a lab coat with a black muscle shirt underneath and simple black pants with combat boots. The figure looked around and when he spotted Naruto, he smirked from ear to ear.

"Hey there little guy. My name is Apollo and I've come a great distance to make your dream comes true." Apollo said. Naruto just stared in awe, here was a guy who literally fell from the freakin' sky!

"Are you a tenshi(angel)?" Naruto asked. It wasn't everyday you saw someone so tall with gold eyes. Apollo chuckled, "You could say that. I'm what am known as a Celestial Being, or to put it in terms you can understand. I am an alien from the planet Vespuria. I have come a great distance to make your wish come true." An alien?! Was Konoha being invaded, was this so-called alien friendly or hostile?

"But you don't have tentacles, and you're not gray. How can an alien look so… Human?" Naruto asked. He had managed to sneak into the Orphanage library and had read a few graphic novels before. The aliens in those novels were always the furthest things from looking human they looked like monsters!

" Ahh don't believe everything you hear or see kid. I'm as alien to this planet as they come. Enough about that though, let's talk about that wish of yours." Apollo said. He knew that he had to stress that Naruto had made a wish and not that he had read his heart beforehand; that probably wouldn't go over so well.

"Yeah I did make a wish… I just didn't expect for an alien to come grant it. Then again, I don't know how this whole wishing on a star thing works. Maybe Hokage-Jiji can help. Anyway I'm Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto introduced himself.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the swirling fishcake." Apollo joked earning several tick marks to appear on Naruto's head. "Oi, don't call me fishcake!" Apollo laughed and patted Naruto on the back, causing the blonde Jinchuuriki to fall face first on the ground.

"Relax kid I'm just goofing around. Anyway let's get down to business. I'm here to be your new Tousan. I'll accept you, love you, and watch over you. All you have to do is give me half of your… I think it's called chakra here? Oh and that which you hold most dear." Apollo said much to the confusion of Naruto. He was five years old; he hadn't enrolled in the Academy yet, so he had no clue what chakra was.

"You mean to tell me I get to have an alien as a Tou-san?... AWESOME! Where can I get this shockra from and what do you mean by that which I hold most dear?" Naruto asked. Finally someone would give him all the things he craved. Naruto had a knack for sensing when someone was lying or when they were giving off negative emotions and he got neither from Apollo. The tall alien was nothing but positivity and a little bit of a goofball, which meant he knew how to have fun!

"Well from what I gathered on my way here. Chakra is the molding of the physical energy present in every cell of the body and the spiritual energy gained from the mind." Apollo explained. Upon seeing the confused look on Naruto's face, he decided to explain it in a way a five year old would understand it. "You see… Chakra… Um… Let's see here. Chakra is a source of energy that comes from your body and mind. Here let me show you."

Even though he wasn't a native of this planet, Apollo had spent the time it took him to get here wisely. On his home planet, chakra was referred to as something else, but they were essentially the same thing. Back on his home planet he was a master at channeling chakra and using it as a weapon, so it shouldn't be too hard for him to draw upon it. Reaching deep within himself, Apollo felt that all too familiar warmth and drew on it. His chakra flared for Naruto to see. It was like watching indigo flames dance in the night.

"That's so awesome! And you're saying I can do that?" Naruto asked with glee. Apollo nodded his head, "Yes, but you'll have to learn how to draw upon chakra. That will have to wait for another day. Why don't you go back home and meet me back here tomorrow night and we'll start your lessons on chakra." Naruto whined about having to return to the Orphanage, but knew it was getting late. If he didn't get back soon, they would lock him out and he'd be stuck on the streets until the morning.

"You'll be here tomorrow right?" Naruto asked with fear in his tone. He was afraid that the only person, besides the Hokage, that acknowledged him would leave should he go. "You can bet on it. Even though we haven't made the deal yet, I'll continue to guide you. I've taken it upon myself to be your Spiritual Guide and all I want is for you to be happy." Naruto smiled a genuine smile at that and left for the Orphanage.

Apollo watched him leave and once he was gone, he floated into the air and decided to head to the village library to assimilate as much knowledge as possible. It was supper time by the time Naruto made it back to the Orphanage and like usual no one seemed to care he was missing. He was given the bare minimum of what was considered a meal and immediately shoved into his room where they locked the door behind him. Naruto didn't let them get to him. He finally found someone who was not only nice to him, but also going to show him something cool. He had no problems going to sleep that night.

The following day dragged on for Naruto. He was so excited to meet up with Apollo that he didn't mind not being able to play with the other kids. He didn't notice the hateful glares the adults shot his way. Nighttime couldn't come fast enough for Naruto, but when it did he shot out of the Orphanage through his secret pathway, unbeknownst to him that someone was watching him. Naruto raced to the Hokage Monument as fast as his little legs could take him. When he got there, he found Apollo with a bunch of scrolls lying about and he was deep in his readings.

"Naruto, my man! I've been keeping myself busy by reading, do you know how to read?" Apollo asked. Naruto hung his head down and shook his head in the negative. He had wanted to learn, but no one would teach him. Apollo just chalked that up to yet another thing he would have to teach the boy. They began their training by having Naruto meditate, "This is so boring alien-san! Can't I unlock my shockra some other way?"

"First call me Tou-san, and second it's called chakra and no there isn't. Don't you want to have a Tou-san to love and accept you?" Apollo asked. Naruto sighed, "Yeah I do…" the blonde Jinchuuriki sat down and closed his eyes. He tried to feel for his chakra like Apollo instructed. Meanwhile, Apollo was busy reading the various scrolls on fuuinjutsu, chakra, nature affinities, etc. A dark aura emitted from his hands and engulfed the scrolls, assimilating all the information they contained.

Apollo had to meditate to absorb all the information. Meanwhile, Naruto was busy trying and failing to unlock his chakra. His constant failure and impatience made Naruto mad as several tick marks appeared, "This is stupid!"

"I know it's boring, but you have to keep at it. It's about time for you to go, we'll have to continue this tomorrow." Apollo said. Naruto sighed, got up and left to go back to the Orphanage, but not before waving goodbye to his… "I have a Tou-san!" he couldn't believe it, after so many years of wanting a father; he finally had someone who wanted to fill the role.

Once he was back at the Orphanage, Naruto snuck into his room through an escape hatch he found when he was exploring his room one day. He was shocked to find someone in his room waiting for him, "Well now you could get in a lot of trouble for leaving the Orphanage ya know." The person was a small girl around his age. She had light-skin, brown eyes and straight blonde hair tied in twin pigtails.

Naruto was sweating bullets, he recognized the girl as the girl all the adults treated like a princess. She got extra food, nice clothing and everyone wanted to be her friend. Her name was something Tatsumi aka the Kinpatsu Hime (Blonde Hair Princess). If she told the matron he snuck out, he'd get punished even more than he normally did.

"There's no need for that Tatsumi. I'm sure we can work this all out. Tell me what you want and I'll make it happen." Naruto said with a nervous chuckle. "I guess we could work something out. You will escort me out of the Orphanage from now on." Was she serious? All she wanted was to get out of the Orphanage?

"Um I don't think that'll be possible. The matron watches you like a hawk! How am I going to sneak you out of here without being noticed?" Naruto asked. Tatsumi just shrugged her shoulders, "I can sneak out easy. Now are you going to escort me or not?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. He really didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

"Look, I have to be somewhere tomorrow. I guess you can come with me, but make sure you won't be missed." Naruto said. Tatsumi bounced up and down with excitement, "YAY! I'm going on an adventure! Oh yeah, what's your name? Everyone calls you Demon Brat, but that can't be your name. I mean what kinda baka names their child that?"

"My name's NOT Demon Brat and if I'm going to be your escort you'll remember not to call me that. I'm Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto said. Tatsumi gasped in surprise and couldn't contain her excitement.

"You're an Uzumaki?! That's awesome!" Tatsumi yelled, grabbing ahold of Naruto's hands and shaking them. "What's so awesome about being an Uzumaki? It's not like they were a clan or something." Tatsumi looked at him like he was crazy.

"What do you mean weren't a clan? The Uzumaki were one of the greatest clan of fuuinjutsu users the world has ever known! They were distant relatives to my clan and were so good at fuuinjutsu it unfortunately led to their destruction years ago." Tatsumi explained. Naruto couldn't believe it. He had a clan?

"So… The Uzumaki is more than just a surname given to me by Hokage-Oji (Grandfather)? I had a clan?" Naruto asked, but before he could get answers the matron barged into his room.

"Tatsumi-hime, you shouldn't be near that… Child! Come, we have more reading to do about the Senju clan and the laws they established." The matron said, dragging the Senju girl away. "See you tomorrow Uzumaki Naruto" she whispered and gave him a wink. Naruto couldn't believe what he learned today. He needed to know more about his clan, maybe Apollo knew more since he seemed to enjoy reading.

The next day, Naruto and Tatsumi spent the day reading about the Uzumaki clan. Despite the matron and other adults telling her to stay away from him, Tatsumi stuck by Naruto. According to her, they were distant relatives and allies.

"According to this, the Uzumaki clan was known for their longevity and having special chakra. I wonder if your chakra is special, have you unlocked your chakra yet?" Tatsumi asked. Naruto shook his head in the negative, "Not yet, but I have a secret. I'm learning to unlock my chakra from an alien!" Tatsumi looked at him skeptically.

"An alien, yeah right. I know a lot is possible in the world of shinobi, but aliens are not one of them." Tatsumi said. "Well it's true! He fell from the sky and everything! I'll prove it to you tonight when we sneak out." Tatsumi was still skeptical but decided to just let him believe whatever he wanted.

Later that day, Naruto and Tatsumi were in Naruto's room. They locked the door and went to the escape hatch where they traveled out of the Orphanage and went to the Hokage Monument. Tatsumi couldn't contain her excitement at finally being able to leave the Orphange. Once they reached the Hokage Monument, Tatsumi looked at the village below and couldn't believe how beautiful it was under the sunset's light. It was like the village was lit ablaze by the magnificent light.

"Ah Naruto my main man! I see you brought a friend this time." Apollo said. Through his eyes, he could see that Tatsumi had high levels of chakra for a girl her age. Not only that but she had a double affinity for water and earth releases. When Tatsumi looked at the alien, she as shocked to see he was so tall! He had to be the tallest person she ever saw.

"So you're the alien? You don't look like one. Can you prove you're an alien?" Tatsumi asked. Before their very eyes, Apollo grew to a height of ten feet six inches! His eyes turned black with yellow irises and a dark aura was emitting from his body. "Do you believe it now?" Tatsumi was still skeptical though.

"I was taught that the Akimichi clan could grow to similar and taller heights. How do I know you're just not using some ninjutsu?" Tatsumi asked. Apollo just sighed and out of the darkness, a metallic eye rose and floated around Tatsumi. A beam of light shot out of the eye and scanned her.

"Senju Tatsumi, daughter of Senju Nawaki and Hikari Momo. She is the niece of Senju Tsunade, last known member of the Senju clan to wield the Mokuton release. Dual affinity for Suiton and Doton releases, high levels of chakra with near perfect control in the making. Age five, birthday August 4th, and blood type B." the metallic eye said. Tatsumi was shocked, "H-how did it know all that?" Some of that information even she didn't know. Like the names of her parents, the fact she had two-nature affinity and the legendary Wood release.

"Alien technology my dear. It's called Steel Craft: Scan, an invention of my very own. It can scan a person's bio. I have other inventions, but I'm saving those for later. Anyway, we've wasted enough time. Naruto, I want you to try meditating again to unlock your chakra and since you're here Tatsumi, you can do the same." Apollo said. The two children got into a meditative pose and tried to unlock their chakras. They didn't make much progress, but Apollo was patient, reading his scrolls to understand everything there was to know about the world and the village he found himself in.

Before long it was time for them to go back to the Orphanage and they waved good-bye to the tall alien. Before they left, Apollo made them promise not to tell anyone about him in fear that they may take him away. Naruto swore he wouldn't break his promise and Tatsumi said she wouldn't betray her newest friend.

Once they were back at the Orphanage, Tatsumi wished Naruto a goodnight and left to go to her room. Naruto was a little frustrated he couldn't unlock his chakra, but he wouldn't give up! After supper, where Tatsumi gave Naruto half of her food, the two went to bed and found sleep easily.

One month passed by and the two children still had yet to unlock their chakras. It frustrated Naruto to no end, but Tatsumi managed to calm him by telling him that unlocking chakra was a skill many didn't learn until they reached the Academy. It made Naruto all the more excited to have Apollo as a father if he was teaching them skills they shouldn't learn until they were eight.

One day, while playing a game of shinobi tag, Tatsumi was trying to catch Naruto when some older kids came up to them. "Hey Tatsumi-chan, why don't you come play with us?" the leader of the group was your average kid looking to get on the good graces of the last remaining Senju.

"No thanks, I'm playing with Naruto-kun." Tatsumi said, only for the leader to grab ahold of her roughly. "I SAID come play with me." Naruto tried to defend her, but the other kids held him back. Suddenly, another boy rushed the leader and punched him in the face. The leader let go of Tatsumi and fell to the ground.

"I don't think the lady wants to play with you. Now beat it before I get real mad." The boy said. He was around Naruto's age, but was already four feet tall. He had bronze skin, but the weirdest thing about him was he had mouths on his hands. This freaked out the other kids and they all ran away from him. The boy helped Tatsumi up, who blushed madly. "No need to thank me or anything. Us freaks gotta stick together! My name is Dante by the way."

"Whoa you were awesome Dante! You just ran up and WHAM right in the kisser! I'm Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto introduced himself. Dante chuckled and the two bumped fists.

"Dante-niisan, I hope you're not getting us in trouble again." A boy that looked exactly like Dante said. Dante just shrugged his shoulders, "I had to help and besides what are they going to do? Spank me, as if that hurts anymore."

Dante's twin just sighed, "Maybe not you, but they hurt me! You know I get in trouble right along with you. Anyway, my name is Reisei and it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Whoa so you two are twins? Must be cool, say can you guys finish each other's sentences?" Naruto asked.

"Sometimes we can, it's like I can—" Dante said.

"Read the other's mind. Though it can get real—" Reisei said.

"Annoying and old real fast so we don't do it often." Dante finished.

"Whoa, that's so cool! Hey wanna play shinobi tag with us? The more the merrier I always say!" Naruto said. Dante and Reisei looked at one another and just shrugged. They, like Naruto, didn't have any friends. Dante wielded a kinjutsu unique to Iwagakure while Reisei did not. To the adults of Konohagakure it was a mark that branded the boy as an enemy, since the two villages were still bitter rivals.

The four children played until it was time to go inside. Naruto, deciding he could trust the two of them, told them about his secret meetings with Apollo. He left out the fact he was an alien, but allowed them to come with them. Once they snuck out of the Orphanage and made it to the monument, Apollo was once again reading like he normally did.

"Whoa, looks like we've got a club forming. I hope they are the last members of our little group. It must be hard to sneak out three extra people. Anyway, I'm Apollo and it's nice to see little Naruto making friends." Apollo said. Through his eyes, he could see that Dante had the explosion release and a kinjutsu, while Reisei had the swift release. two powerful allies to have.

"I'm Dante and this is my little brother Reisei! So will you be teaching us to unlocking chakra? Before he died, Tou-san could do this really cool trick using clay where he could make all kinds of things!" Dante introduced. Apollo just chuckled and said he would be more than happy to show them how chakra worked.

Three months went by and Naruto, Dante, Reisei and Tatsumi grew closer as friends. There was hardily a time when the four weren't seen together. Tatsumi used the time to teach Naruto how to read and write. While he was nowhere near a scholar, he could read the basics and wrote acceptably. They continued to sneak out and see Apollo. The tall alien was entertaining to say the least. He just seemed happy to make them happy with his wacky personality. About three days ago, they finally unlocked their chakras!

It was finally time for Naruto to make his deal with Apollo. Making this deal would seal Apollo's fate as Naruto's adoptive father. There was only one problem.

"What do you mean I have to give up my dream of being Hokage?!" Naruto roared. He had dreamed about being Hokage for as long as he can remember. The way everyone accepted and respect the Hokage was exactly what he wanted in life. The love, acceptance, and respect he desired and unknowingly deserved. Apollo knew this would happen though; he was prepared for either outcome.

"What did you think I meant when I said give up that which you hold dear? Your dream as Hokage is the single most important thing in your life. It's where you draw your motivations and inspirations. I need that motivation and inspiration in order to interact with you more. You see, as a Celestial Being, I cannot interact with mortals UNLESS I have a binding connection with them." Apollo explained in a way a group of five year olds would understand. Tatsumi translated it in a way that Naruto could understand, but the boy still didn't like it.

"Naruto, I understand that it's your dream, but power comes at a price. I'm willing to give you everything you've ever wanted. I'm willing to give you the love, respect, and acceptance you've craved your whole life. The true love of the few outweighs the fake love of the many… What I mean is, the love of your friends and family should outweigh any love the villagers MAY one day give you." Apollo explained. Naruto looked to his friends, who he considered precious to him. He would do anything for them and the man before him, the very man who came from a different world just to make him happy. They made the hell the villagers put him through bearable. Dante put his hand on his shoulder, while Reisei did the same to his other shoulder. Tatsumi cupped his hands in her own and all three of them gave the Uzumaki boy their support.

"No matter what, we'll be here Naruto-kun." Tatsumi reassured. Naruto had tears stinging the corner of his eyes at the support and care they showed him. With the resolve he would one day become famous for, Naruto looked at Apollo fiercely.

"Alright Tousan, I'm ready." Naruto said with the utmost determination. Apollo smirked at his adoptive son and instructed him to hold out his hand and channel his chakra. Naruto did as he was told and when Apollo accepted his hand, Naruto felt like his life was being drained out of him at an alarming pace. He was initially frightened, but he trusted Apollo and didn't let go of his hand. As quickly as it came, the draining sensation stopped and Naruto felt weak, but strangely connected to the alien man. He felt knowledge he hasn't known before overwhelm him as alien technology and concepts assaulted his mind. Tatsumi caught the Uzumaki boy before he could fall from the experience.

"It will take some time for you to understand all the information our bond has given you. I'll be sure to teach you everything I know and then some, my sochi." Apollo said with pride. Finally, he had a reason to live; a reason to exist and these kids were slowly filling the void in his heart. The only thing left to do now was to install him into the village and officially adopt, at the very least, Naruto. He knew that would take time; no self-respecting leader would just give their secret weapon to a complete stranger after all.

"Alright kids, I have some business to take care of, but we can meet here again same time. I think it's about time I showed you how to be proper shinobi and kunoichi." Apollo said before he vanished in a swirl of darkness. The kids made their way back to the Orphanage, each one excited for the next day. Tatsumi asked Naruto how he felt, "Ya know Tatsumi-chan, I feel… Good, better than good actually. I feel like my life has finally begun!" Tatsumi smiled for her friend and the four of them talked about what Apollo would teach them.

Meanwhile, Apollo reappeared outside of the village gates a few miles just outside of the village barrier. He wanted to appear like any other wandering traveller, so he made sure to appear outside of the barrier's range. He walked the few miles until he reached the village gates. He was stopped by the guards and asked to present the proper papers. Apollo presented them with papers he forged using the knowledge he gain of fuuinjutsu. Faking the right signatures was child's play to an experienced fuuinjutsu user.

"Ah, so you're from Yugakure no Sato ay? Were you a shinobi there?" the guard asked. Even though he was a mere Chunin, he could spot a trained shinobi a mile away. The way the man carried himself and how his guard was always on alert told him the man before him was a seasoned warrior.

"I'm that easy to figure out huh? Yeah I used to be for the Yugakure, but after they transitioned into a tourist attraction, I pretty much lost a job. I've been a wandering mercenary for a time, but that hardly pays the bills. I've decided to try and make a name for myself here in the strongest hidden village in the Elemental Continents." Apollo stated, showing his knowledge in Yugakure's history.

"Well your papers check out, Apollo-san. You'll want to check in with Hokage-sama. Wish you the best of luck." The guard said before he let Apollo walk right into the village. Having explored the village for the past few months, Apollo pretty much knew the layout of the place. Still, he took the time to marvel at the peaceful looking village. Some people gave him curious looks due to his height, but he paid them no mind. They were better than looks of disgust and fear he was accustomed to. He was sure these people were good; they just suffered from clouded judgment was all. Not an excuse to treat a small child like he was a demon come to kill them all, but he would cut them SOME slack.

He made his way to the Academy, where the Administrative Office was. Once he made it there he talked to the receptionist, who asked him what he needed. Apollo told her he was from Yusagakure and wished to be instated as a Konoha shinobi. So she gave him the paperwork needed to do so and told him to wait. He went through the paperwork and filled out all the information that was needed. He waited for the others who had appointments to finish their business with the Hokage and was ushered in. Apollo held back a snort at seeing the aged Sandaime working feverishly. The scene reminded him of his aunt back home, though she had a few secretaries to help lighten the load.

"What can I do for you good sir?" The Sandaime asked through his paperwork. He still had to file away mission reports, sending back-up to a group of Genin on a C turned B rank mission, sign off on the financial reports, and he had fresh Genin coming in to take their ID photos. To put it bluntly, he was a busy man.

"Good day, Sandaime-sama, my name is Apollo and I wish to be instated as a Konoha shinobi. I have all the required paperwork filled out and need your approval." Apollo stated, handing the wizened man his paperwork. The Sandaime looked over the paperwork, "Hmm you're from Yusagakure… After the village became a tourist hotspot most of the records on the hidden village were destroyed to keep its secrets safe… I find it odd you've waited this long to become a shinobi of Konoha."

Apollo expected as much from the man held as the Professor. He didn't waiver though, "I was a no name mercenary for a time. I preferred to keep myself as low as possible. Fame spells death for any good shinobi. Though a mercenary isn't the life I envisioned for myself. I think living here is just what I want for myself." The Sandaime gave the man before him a grizzled look. He was analyzing everything about the man and he found it hard to believe he was some no name merc. The feeling he got from the man was troubling, it was like he radiated some unknown power, but he couldn't find any ill will from him either. To his credit, the Hokage's stare didn't seem to faze him in the least. He just stood there with the same smile he walked in with.

"Yes… Well I hope you understand that we can't just let anyone become a Konoha Shinobi. I'll have you scheduled for a field test in a week's time. We'll give you a pseudo mission and see how you operate with others. Then we'll evaluate your skills on a solo basis." The Sandaime explained. Realizing that meant he was dismissed, Apollo thanked the wizened Hokage and left him to his work. Things were sure to get interesting…


	2. Chapter 2

Welcome back everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of the brand new True Shinobi! I know the synopsis probably sucks, but I tried to capture the same excitement from the original into my story. I also saw that Lightseeker67 made a mistake and said that a DarknessBringer adopted his story. I was scared for a minute, but he corrected it today. Without further ado!

Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

Hand seals: "…"

It had been a week since Apollo had 'officially' arrived in Konohagakure. He kept his word and started teaching the kids how to properly use throwing weapons; blunted of course. He wasn't surprised to find Anbu Black Ops tailing him, but with liberal use of the Kage Bunshin, he managed to shake them before he meet up with the kids. They hadn't made much progress with the weapons, but baring throwing them into the wild and expecting them to survive, they weren't half bad. It would be only a matter of time before he started showing them how to use their chakra in a more 'unique' way.

We find Apollo staring at the gates leading to the Forest of Death. He was mildly impressed with the gated off forest, though he wasn't concerned. This forest had nothing on the forest his aunt had him stay in for four years when he was a kid. That forest was the stuff of nightmares… Next to him were Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo. Kotetsu had long, spiky, black hair and dark eyes. He had a strip of bandage running across the bridge of his nsoe and a light-colored marking on his chin. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi flak jacket and hitai-ate. Izumo had brown hair, and dark eyes. His hair was combed down and covered his right eye. He wore his hitai-ate like a bandanna along with the standard Konoha shinobi outfit, which goes all the way up to his chin.

"Hope you're ready noob, because I'm not picking up any of your slack. It's bad enough, Hokage-sama ordered us to be your pseudo team, man this sucks." Kotetsu groaned. He would prefer to be doing boring guard duty at the gates than have to traverse through the accursed forest.

"Stop complaining Kotetsu! It's an honor that Hokage-sama chose us to test him. He clearly sees how loyal we are to our village and wants us to see how this new guy will fare." Izumo stated. Kotetsu just shrugs and Apollo chuckles quietly to himself. He can tell these two are best friends and work well together, though he knows he won't have any troubles in this test. A bit of a tradition of Konoha's is to test a person's willingness to promote teamwork among its ranks.

The test was simple enough: Guard the scroll until you get to the tower located in the center of the forest. He assumed he would have to make it there with both his 'teammates' alive and that there was opposition out to get the scroll. Before they entered the Forest of Death, Apollo motioned for them to come by him for a moment. The two Chunin shrugged and followed him, "Alright so the goal is to get the scroll to the tower with all of us in one piece. I have a plan to ensure just in case we can't fight our way through, we'll still have the scroll. I suggest I make dummy scrolls, some with stun seals, and some with flash seals and give some to both of you. I'll seal the real scroll in a seal I have on my back. I figure since we're teammates I can trust you with the location of the real scroll just in case." The two Chunin had to give the guy props for his ingenuity. There weren't that many people who could make flash and stun seals, so their opposition wouldn't be expecting it. He also got points for telling them where the real scroll would be. That kind of trust between teammates was what made Konoha the best.

Once Apollo was done making the fake scrolls, the trio made their way into the forest. They dashed through the trees at impressive speeds in the usual triangle formation. Apollo could go faster, but he stayed at their pace. Apollo was just about to land on another tree when he suddenly created a clone and used it to jump towards Kotetsu and Izumo and tackle them to the ground. The clone landed on the tree and was engulfed in an explosion as mud was flung everywhere.

"Man good eye noob. That would have been bad news for us." Kotetsu said now on full alert. He should have known they'd booby trap the forest. The trio looked around them and found more wire traps in the trees with different kinds of explosive tags, so tree hopping was out. Apollo halted the two Chunin and placed a finger on the ground before sending chakra into the ground. His chakra interacted with the natural chakra of the forest and he could feel all the various animals and people hidden in the forest. Taking out a kunai, he threw it at seemingly nothing, but in reality he cut a wire that was tied to a trap. The trap was a sinkhole that would have caught them if Apollo weren't looking for it.

Since running on the ground was out of the question, Apollo suggested they use the middle of the trees as springboards to get to the tower. The two Chunin were impressed with the alien man and agreed as they raced through the forest using the middle of the trees to launch them from tree to tree. They avoided more traps this way, but soon they faced their first opponent. A group of Chunin level shinobi came out of the woodwork and threw kunai and shuriken at them. Apollo got in front of his teammates and went through hand seals.

Tora (Tiger), U (Hare), I (Boar), Inu (Dog)! "Doton: Doryuuheki (Earth Release: Earth-style Wall)!" Apollo chanted mentally. From his mouth, an earth wall was spat out catching his foes off guard seeing as he hadn't proclaimed his jutsu a loud. The thrown weapons bounced off the wall harmlessly. The opposing Chunin swiftly leapt over the wall only to find that the trio was missing. They looked all around them, until a pair of hands grabbed them by the ankles and pulled them underground up to their heads.

"Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no jutsu (Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation technique) buh bye." Apollo said with a wave as the trio took off.

"Man you really are quick with the hand seals Apollo-san. I take it you're a Doton user?" Izumo asked. Apollo just chuckled, "Nah, I just figured those two jutsu were the best for the situation. I actually have a unique release called Meiton (Dark Release). I would explain it further, but we're in hostile environment ya know?" the two Chunin could understand. They hadn't heard of Meiton before, but they couldn't really expect him to just give away all his secrets to them. The trio spent the time getting to know each other as they travelled. Apollo learned that Kotetsu liked pure syrup, oden, and tuna topped with grated nagaimo. He also apparently hated bitter melon. Izumo liked daikon salad and thick fried egg, while he hated stir-fired liver and garlic chives. Apollo joked and asked if he were a vampire, which got him some laughs.

Apollo revealed he liked pizza and reading fantasy novels while he hated the color pink and too spicy foods. Suddenly they were ambushed by another group of Chunin, who had them surrounded. Apollo used sign language to communicate, "I've got your backs if you've got mine." Izumo and Kotetsu nodded and pulled out their large bladed weapons and dashed at their foes. Apollo follows them and the trio work as one against their foes. A trio of Chunin went through hand seals.

Inu (Dog), Ne (Rat) Tora (Tiger)! "Katon: Renkeijutsu: Karura (Fire Release: Co-Operation technique: Garuda)!" From their mouths, long streams of intense flames shot out and formed a flaming dragon. Izumo and Apollo go through the same hand seals.

Tora (Tiger), Mi (Snake), Ne (Rat), Mi (Snake), Tora (Tiger)! "Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Formation Wall)!" The duo chanted, unleashing a wall of water from their mouths. The water formed a circle around the trio and extinguished the flaming dragon. Seeing an opening, the trio rushed the three Chunin who did the co-op jutsu. Kotetsu hit the still recovering Chunin in the head with the flat side of his blade, knocking him out. Izumo was engaged in fierce battle with his bladed weapon going up against a simple kunai. Izumo managed to swat the smaller weapon out of its owner's hand and a kick to the solar plexus sent the opposing Chunin crashing into a tree. Izumo threw kunai and pinned him to the tree.

Apollo and the Chunin were engaged in a taijutsu battle. The Chunin tried with all his might to get a hit on Apollo, but the dark skinned man was too agile for him. The Chunin had to hide his smirk when he led Apollo into a sinkhole, only for Apollo to leap over it and throw one of the fake scrolls at the Chunin. The Chunin caught the scroll and in a flash was blinded. Apollo capitalized and ended the Chunin with a chop to the back of the neck.

With their foes dealt with, the trio continued their trek through the Forest of Death. Along the way, they had to kill a few animals and Apollo was vaguely reminded of the forest he trained in; though the animals were much bigger, or was he just smaller? Nah, six to twelve feet animals were big no matter how big ya got. They were just about to reach the tower when a family of fourteen feet spiders blocked their way.

"Aw man, don't tell me we're in the Spider's Nest… I thought they gated that area off!" Kotetsu groaned, summoning his trusty Conch Shell Mace, a monstrosity of a weapon with many sharp protrusions all over its surface and a marking in the center that resembles an eye.

"They only gate it off during the Chunin Exams…" Izumo said with dread, preparing himself for a most unpleasant battle. Apollo just smiles fondly, "Ahhh just like home." Without warning, the spiders attack by spewing out smaller, most definitely poisonous, spiders at them.

Ne (Rat), Tora (Tiger), Inu (Dog), Ushi (Ox), U (Hare), Tora (Tiger)! "Katon: Hoosenka no jutsu (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique)! Apollo chanted before he unleashed a volley of medium sized fireballs at the incoming wave of spiders. The flames consumed the smaller spiders, but the larger ones managed to dodge into the trees. One bold spider came down and stabbed Apollo with its fangs, before it started to eat him alive. Izumo and Kotetsu watched in horror as the man they were starting to like was eaten. Not even a second later, the spider blew up.

"Come on guys, I'm a shinobi! All hail the Kawarimi no jutsu! Savior of the Shinobi!" Apollo joked getting a chuckle from the two Chunin. It was clear he substituted with one of his fake scrolls just in time. The two Chunin got into the action; Kotetsu used his mace with great efficiency as he swatted the large spiders one by one. Izumo used his bladed weapon to cut down all the spiders in his way, dodging spider webs as they were shot at him. Apollo used daggers embedded with wind chakra to increase their cutting power to literally buzz saw his way through the legion of spiders. One spider managed to catch Izumo with its webs and anchored his leg to the ground. The Chunin tried to free himself, but a spider was already on him. It aimed to stab him with its pedipalp, but Apollo took the hit for him as mud splattered on his face.

The offending spider was peppered with wind infused shurkien that diced it up. Izumo swiftly freed himself and thanked Apollo for the save. Kotetsu went to check on his best friend, who was startled, but all right. The trio jumped back into the fray and slayed the remaining spiders. Instead of resting, they hightailed it out of there before more spiders came to avenge their brethren. They finally made it to the tower and went inside. Izumo and Kotetsu collapsed once inside and Apollo was winded himself.

"Congratulations on making it to the tower in record times. It took you three hours and twenty-five minutes to reach the tower, mighty impressive. So Izumo-kun, Kotetsu-kun how did he do?" The Sandaime asked. Izumo and Kotetsu stood to attention and addressed their leader.

"Hokage-sama! Based on our in-field assessment, Apollo-san did a wonderful job. Before the test even began he showed his willingness to work as a team by suggesting he make fake scrolls and told us the location of the real scroll. Then inside the forest, he was an essential part of our success, even saving my life when we tangled with the dreaded spiders. I think he'd make a great addition to our ranks." Izumo stated. The Sandaime was pleased to hear that, though it was time to see just what rank to make the foreigner.

"I am pleased to hear that. It seems that you have the right kind of spirit we of Konoha look for in our shinobi. The Will of Fire states that every Konoha shinobi will love, believe, cherish, and fight to protect the village as previous generations have done before them. It's what gives our shinobi the will and strength to fight against the odds." The Sandaime said proudly. Apollo smiles warmly, "Where's the people's Will of Fire for Naruto?" The Sandaime saw a darkness flash in Apollo's eyes, but it was gone a second later and replaced with a warmth. The wizened Hokage found that suspicious, but judging by how chummy the trio was, the man before him was at least friendly enough to win over his two most gifted Chunin. Izumo was a good judge of character and the Sandaime would trust their judgment.

"Well if there are no further delays, we can begin your solo assessment. Joining us will be the entire Konoha Council and the Jonin Commander. Your opponent is waiting." The Sandaime stated as the four of them made their way to the arena. Once at the arena, Apollo could see all of the council waiting on him. There were of course all of the clan heads: Hyuuga Hiashi, Uchiha Fugaku, Aburame Shibi, Inuzuka Tsume, Yamanaka Inoichi, Nara Shikaku, and Akimichi Choza. There was also Mitokado Homura, representative of Non-Clan shinobi and Utatane Koharu, representative of the Non-Clan kunoichi. Shimura Danzo was also in attendance. Apollo got bad vibes from the one held as Shinobi no Yami and made a note to stay away from him.

His opponent was Shirakumo Hayama, a Jonin of Konohagakure. He had long dull dark-gray hair held in a ponytail. He also had a scar running down the right side of his mouth and pronounced tear troughs under his eyes. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi flak jacket, though his had short sleeves and the traditional red swirl pattern only on his left shoulder sleeve. He wore a pair of fingerless gloves and carried a thin katana strapped horizontally to his back.

Standing across from his opponent, Apollo waited for the Hokage to give the signal to begin. Once the signal was made he went through a single Uma (Horse) hand seal and held out his right hand.

"_Meiton: Kyuuketsukoo (Dark Release: Inhaling Maw)!"_ Apollo chanted. Unbeknownst to the audience, Apollo was extracting the chakra from Hayama, who noticed the drop in his chakra reserves. Backing further away from the mysterious man, Hayama pulled out his katana and Apollo pulled out on of his daggers and held it in his left hand. Not one to give his opponent the edge, Hayama disappeared in a swirl of leaves and reappeared next to Apollo with his katana already swung to cut off Apollo's head. Apollo parried the swing with his dagger and shocked everyone with his next move.

Swinging his dagger, Apollo proclaims "Shinkuuken (Vacuum Sword)!" and an arc of wind chakra flung from his dagger at Hayama. Not being able to dodge the incoming blade of wind, Hayama unleashed his own Shinkuuken to cancel out Apollo's. Seeing an opening, Apollo rushed the Jonin and the two began a fierce kenjutsu battle. Even though Hayama had reach on him, Apollo skillfully parried any blows that got too close for comfort and managed to cut Hayama a few times. The seasoned Jonin was hard pressed to defend against the swift man's blade, so he added wind chakra to his katana to increase its range and cutting power. Apollo received his first cut across the face when he was dodging the enhanced blade. Apollo further shocked everyone by embedding his dagger with fire chakra. As the two blades clashed, Apollo's was only getting stronger as Hayama was not only getting more cuts, but was also being burned by the flaming daggers. Hayama leaped away from Apollo to give himself time to think.

Out of the ground came two Apollos who positioned their daggers at Hayama's neck effectively ending the match. The Hokage named Apollo the winner and the clones crumbled into dust. Everyone was rather impressed with the mysterious man, but Fugaku was the only one weary of the man. With his Sharingan active, he saw him extract Hayama's chakra and how it seemed to enable him to use Hayama's original jutsu. It was like watching a Sharingan user copy a jutsu, though Hayama hadn't even used the jutsu and Apollo still managed to copy it.

"Thanks for a great match, Hayama-san and don't worry. I won't be using your jutsu without your permission." Apollo said shaking the Jonin's hand.

"It's alright, Apollo-san. Just tell me where you got your daggers from and we'll call it even. It's not everyday you find weapons that can handle embedding nature chakra into them." Hayama said in good spirits. Apollo chuckled, "Sorry but you can't buy these at a shop. I make them out of pure chakra you see." He demonstrated by channeling chakra into his hands and condensed it into a dagger. Hayama, along with everyone else, was awestruck by the display. He couldn't tell when in the heat of the battle, but looking at it up close it was clear the blade was nothing but chakra. It was an indigo blade with a lighter blue handle. The chakra needed to create and maintain that had to be immense! Just how much chakra did the man have?

"I think it's clear to everyone here you are more than qualified to be a Jonin for Konoha. Return to my office tomorrow and I'll have the proper paperwork for you to fill out along with your hitai-ate. Welcome to Konohagakure, Apollo-san." The Sandaime said with a warm smile. Apollo bowed to the leader of the leaf and left in a swirl of darkness. The council was abuzz with talk after the display. Many wanted to see more of what the man was capable of, even Danzo was curious as to the mysterious man before him. Jonin were rare in Yugakure and to remain unknown with such skill was either a testament to said skills or bullshit. He didn't like not knowing elements in his own village and unfortunately, all records of shinobi from Yugakure were destroyed to certain incidents secret. Danzo would just have to keep an eye out for this Apollo…

Apollo appeared at the Hokage Monument, where the four children were waiting. Once he arrived he smiled at the eager faces of the kids, "Guess who becomes an official shinobi tomorrow?" The faces of the kids' lit up with that news and they all glomp him as he manages to not fall down.

"That's so awesome Tousan! My Tousan is the best shinobi ever!" Naruto declared not realizing just how true those words were. Apollo laughed and grabbed a hold of all four kids, three under his arms and one on his back. He raced through the forests behind the monument at high speeds. The children cheered at the ride as they zoomed through the trees. They stopped once they reached a cluster of buildings made of wood. It wasn't as big as the village itself, but one could tell it was used for refuge back in the day.

"This must be Old Konoha! I read stories about the Shodai Hokage making a small village when he practiced his Mokuton, but I always figured it was a legend." Tatsumi said in awe of the place. The small village could probably house one hundred people max, so it wasn't ideal for a large village, but it was perfect for Apollo to set up shop. He'd talk to the Hokage about letting him stay here later. For the moment, he let the kids play and explore the wooden village. Once they had their fun, it was time for them to start their training. Apollo tested them to see who had the most chakra and it came as no surprise when Naruto won by a landslide. In second came Dante, third was Reisei, and last was Tatsumi. He started them on leaf balancing and after an hour, Tatsumi cold stick a leaf to her forehead for a minute before she had to rest. The boys were having difficulties, but he knew they'd get it. Soon it was time for them to return to the Orphanage, but before they left Naruto walked over to Apollo.

"When will you adopt me, Tousan?" Naruto asked. He loved his friends to death, but he longed to live with Apollo and experience the love and attention he was promised. Apollo sighed, not liking what he had to say.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I have to be a resident of Konoha for at least a year before I can adopt you. The Hokage won't just let some stranger who just got here adopt his surrogate grandson now would he?" Apollo asked and Naruto knew he was right. He just hated staying at the Orphanage with all those mean people. He didn't like feeling all the hatred directed at him and wanted to be around the love Apollo seemed to radiate. With a sigh, Naruto returned to with his friends and Apollo went to go stay at a motel or something.


	3. Chapter 3

Woo! I'm just cranking out chapters like it's my job! Boy imagine if I could do this for a living… Sweet dreams… Anyway, I know Nawaki died at like thirteen, but for my story's sake he didn't die until he was older. Also I know the Uchiha massacre happened when Sasuke was six, might or might not have that happen later. Also I know Hinata was kidnapped when she was three but for this story it will be a little later. Now then here's the next chapter so let's-

Anko: Oi where the hell am I?! Everyone misses my sexiness I'm sure.

Easy there Anko-chan, you'll have your moments. I can't just introduce you right off the bat. Your awesomeness deserves a proper introduction, as flashy as possible!

Anko: Well when you put it that way… Trickster67 doesn't own Naruto or any characters from the series. I hope you're happy … By the way, am I the only one outraged Kishimoto made me FAT!?

Normal speech: "..."

_Thoughts: "…"_

**Bijuu speech or higher being: "…"**

Hand seals: "…"

The Konoha council was gathered on an average sunny day. The civilian council was in attendance since they had a say in the matter. To a few of the members, this was a pointless meeting. It would surely turn out to be another bitter battle for custody of the last Senju. The main two who fought over her was the Uchiha and the Hyuuga, always the bitterest of rivals. The Hyuuga boasted about their divine eyes being gifted from the brother of the Rikudoo Sennin (Sage of Six Paths), while the Uchiha claimed they were superior due to their connection with the sage himself. This debate sparked a feud between the two dojutsu clans. The civilians tried to get votes for one of them to adopt her, but not even the Hokage would vote for them. Whether they liked it or not, Tatsumi was destined to be a kunoichi. The Hokage began the meeting by going over shinobi matters such as the newest graduates, in-field Chunin promotions, and the newest Jonin to be recommended.

"As we all know, Senju Tatsumi is in need of guidance if she is to one day bring the Senju clan to its former glory. Also there have been several reports from our spies in Kumogakure that news of a Senju has reached them. It is only a matter of time before this news spreads to other villages and they try to kidnap or kill the poor girl to ensure we don't have a Mokuton user in the world again." The Sandaime stated. There was murmuring among the council, everyone could see the benefit of having the young Senju indebted to his or her clan.

"Hokage-sama, I think it would be wise if Senju Tatsumi were placed in my clan. She would be treated like one of our queens and looked after so no harm would befall her." Shibi stated, sparking a debate between who would be better to protect her.

"Please! Hokage-sama, let me adopt the little pup. The Aburame would have nothing to teach her seeing as their jutsu are borderline kekkai genkai. The Hyuuga and the Uchiha are in the same boat as most of their jutsus are passed down through use of their dojutsus. We of the Inuzuka could teach her our ways and ensure she's not only well protected, but strong!" Tsume argued. The Sandaime could see the merit in her proposal. The Aburame, while a powerful clan, couldn't really teach the girl much since she was too old to go through the ritual to infuse her with their insects. Still, he allowed the others to present their case.

"While Inuzuka-san has a point about the Aburame, the Hyuuga can teach her much more than how to defend herself. When Tatsumi becomes of age or rank to earn a seat on the council, she'll need diplomacy and etiquette as well as combat skills. The Hyuuga are the most refined and we have more influence in the village than any other clan. Besides, it is common knowledge that the Uchiha and the Senju were at one point bitter rivals during the Warring States era." Hiashi stated his face never showing any emotion. He wasn't above throwing in a few dark facts to advance his agenda. Fugaku didn't rise to his taunt and instead cleared his throat to gain his attention.

"A rivalry that was put aside during the formation of our village. We Uchiha have long since buried it and look towards the future. The fact that the Senju are down to only two members is a wretched fate for such a great clan. I wish to see the clan restored anew and brought back to power for the village." Fugaku stated. It went back and forth between four clans as each side argued their claim. The Hokage called for silence and everyone stopped their debates. The decision was called to a vote and like all other times, it boiled down to equal votes for the Uchiha and Hyuuga. The Sandaime decided to put the matter off until the end and went to other business.

"We have a rather unusual matter before us today. It appears that one Apollo wishes to adopt Uzumaki Naruto." The Sandaime stated getting shocked expressions from those gathered.

"Who would want to adopt that… Boy…" one civilian councilor asked, choosing his words wisely. It came as no surprise that those who represented the civilians had no love for Naruto. No matter how the Sandaime tried to explain the concept to them, they just weren't buying it. True, a sealed kunai wasn't the scroll it was sealed into, but this wasn't any old kunai. It was a malevolent demon fox sealed inside a small child. Even they have heard of rampaging Jinchuuriki, so they decided to just hate the boy. They weren't foolish enough to antagonize him and turn him into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"You mean the shinobi from Yugakure? He has been seen with the boy quite a lot in the year he's been here. Don't the reports say he's a proficient fuuinjutsu user?" Koharu asked her former teammate, Homura. The old man was his representative and had records on all non-clan shinobi of the village.

"Yes and a good one to boot. He's been hanging around the barrier team HQ improving the seals we have on it and archiving his own creations in our seal archive. While I doubt he's a fuuinjutsu master, he surely is on his way to becoming one. With the exception of Jiraiya and Hokage-sama, he is the best fuuinjutsu user in Konoha." Homura said with pride. As the representative of the non-clan shinobi, he spoke out against the seemingly favoritism of those from clans. After all, the bulk of Konoha's might was from the non-clan shinobi and kunoichi. The idea of a fuuinjutsu user watching over the Jinchuuriki sounded like a good idea to even the civilians should anything happen to the seal while Jairaiya was away. Danzo wasn't so convinced though, "Are we really going to trust our greatest tool to a foreigner? What's stopping this man from unleashing the Kyuubi and then fleeing to another village? We know next to nothing about his life in Yugakure, how can we know that's not just a cover?" There was murmuring about the validity in Danzo's words. A warmonger he may be, but no one could say he wasn't a patriot. The village always came first to him and he was willing to ensure its continued peace and existence by any means necessary.

"I don't think that's the case Danzo. I have had my own men watch over Apollo for the past year and they report no such motives. It seems to me the man just likes Naruto-kun and wants to ensure he is happy. Not to mention he's already been teaching not only Naruto, but Tatsumi as well. I'm in favor of the adoption." The Sandaime said casting his vote in favor. Danzo couldn't disagree with his old rival, since he himself had his own men watch over the man. Everything pointed towards him being a loyal shinobi to Konoha, but Danzo couldn't shake the feeling the man was trouble. He cast his vote in denial for adoption. Homura and Koharu voted in favor and many of the civilians even voted in favor. When it was all said and done, the adoption was approved!

Homura saw this as a victory for the non-clan shinobi and an idea struck him. "Hokage-sama if I may?" The Sandaime allowed Homura to take the floor. Clearing his throat, "Members of the council. We have yet to find a suitable clan to adopt one Senju Tatsumi into. As it stands, I propose she be adopted by Apollo." There was much opposition from the clans to Homura's idea, but the man did not faulter.

"What makes you think some no name new guy can protect and teach Tatsumi better than any of us?!" Tsume demanded an explanation.

"I agree. Tatsmi is from a noble clan of warriors. What can this, Apollo, teach her about what it means to be from a clan?" Hiashi asked his eyes narrowed slightly, he might as well have yelled with the show of emotion he was presenting.

"Whether we like it or not, Tatsumi has no clan at the moment. In fact, she probably won't live long enough to see her clan flourish in our village. Why send her to a clan were she will have nothing in common with, when she can learn what it means to be a shinobi of the village from one of our up and coming shinobi. In the year he's been here, Apollo has completed 323 missions: 70 D ranks, 80 C ranks, 83 B ranks and 90 A ranks. All were completed without problems and some came with recommendations for future missions." Homura stated. Many of the council were impressed, there were Jonin who have been there for years and hadn't reached that number of missions. Upon receiving the rank of Jonin, Apollo was taught the Kage Bunshin, though he secretly already knew it from using his Inhaling Maw to extract the chakra of a shinobi who knew the jutsu, and he used it like no one before him. He could complete more missions by having his Kage bunshin do them for the missions ranked C and lower. For the higher ranked missions he would personally do them and set up what he called the Shunshin Underground Network or S.U.N for short to travel back to Konoha as if he were the next Yellow Flash. Of course even he would need to rest for a few days after using it depending on the distance traveled. Homura was positive the man would be the perfect candidate for adopting the Senju girl.

"His impressive record aside, I still don't see why we should allow the last Senju to be adopted by a non-clan shinobi." Inoichi stated. Shikaku, on the other hand, could see what Homura was hoping to accomplish with this. If the Senju became indebted to the non-clan shinobi then her fortune could be used to support them. Unlike the clans, who had their own armories, medics, etc. The non-clan shinobi had to rely on what the governing parties, i.e. the council, decided was best for them. In the end, the non-clan shinobi got what was left from the clans and hardly ever got the latest in supplies. With the Senju fortune supporting them, the non-clan shinobi could compete with the clans in regards to influence and supplies; smart move Homura.

"Unlike the clans, my shinobi are unbiased. There would be no fear of Apollo grooming her to fit his own agenda. He would raise the girl to love the village as opposed to one clan and that's what we truly want out of her. For her to bear the Will of Fire our predecessors had before us. Not to mention he lives in a remote location that will be hard to locate for shinobi outside of our village." Homura stated. Sure he knew he was fighting dirty, but politics were often the dirtiest of the dirt. He knew he had his teammate's vote, which was a huge boon for his cause. Now he just needed most of the civilian vote and four of the shinobi vote. Like planned, the Sandaime voted in favor. He was surprised when Koharu voted in favor, but not so much when Danzo voted against him. He fought back a smirk when all of the civilians voted in favor and waited on the shinobi. There was murmuring amongst the shinobi as they came to a decision. Tsume was against it, Hiashi was against it and Fugaku was against it. Shikaku was in favor and so were his best friends, Inoichi and Choza. The decision rested on Shibi, who fixed his glasses.

"Even though I feel Tatsumi should be a member of my clan, I can still see the wisdom in allowing her to live with a non-clan shinobi. He would be unbiased and raise her to be the ideal kunoichi with some help of course. I am in favor of the adoption." Shibi stated. Homura wanted to jump for joy as the Hokage informed everyone that the decision was final and that he would sign the necessary forms to allow both Naruto and Tatsumi to be adopted by Apollo. All that was left to do was to talk to Apollo himself about the matter…

Apollo was busy teaching the kids how to do the tree climbing exercise. Sure it was a little early to be teaching them, but better sooner than later he always says. Besides, the Uchiha have little kids shooting fireballs for Kami's sake! They had been working on it for a month and it seemed they all had it down. He had already taught them the Academy Three, though Naruto, like himself, struggled with making a simple bunshin. Even with half his chakra gone, in a year's time it was back with avenges! He didn't stop there; he had Naruto practice his calligraphy each and every day. He had Tatsumi make pebbles with her earth chakra and fill up a cup with her water chakra. Dante would mold different shapes using clay and Reisei would do laps around old Konoha. He didn't want them to be one trick pony, so he would mix and match their routines to keep them on their toes. He had them do light aerobic, anaerobic, and flexibility exercises when he saw them and let them work on whatever they wanted in their time at the Orphanage.

Apollo was all smiles that day. He had put in his application for adoption of Naruto and he knew the little boy would be ecstatic! It pained him when Naruto was forced to go back to that hellhole and endure their hatred. He may not be able to dream about becoming Hokage anymore, but he would ensure Naruto would be the best that ever came out of Konoha.

"What's got you all smiles, Tousan?" Naruto asked. Even though they weren't official, Naruto still called Apollo his father. The man was nothing but fatherly to him and he was the first person to accept him for who he was. After their deal, he once tried to think about what it would be like to be Hokage, but he just couldn't. It was like trying to remember something you forgot, his mind would just cloud up and he would forget what he was thinking about. Apollo explained to him that he literally took his dream away from him, meaning he could never have the dream he had forgotten about. It made him sad, but Apollo told him he would just have to dream a new dream. So the blonde Jinhuuriki decided he wanted to be the best and that was his new dream.

"Oh nothing much. I just turned in an application for adoption." Apollo said simply and was tackled to the ground by a beaming Naruto. He couldn't believe it was finally happening! Tatsumi smiled for her friend, though she knew she would miss him at the Orphanage, as would Dante and Reisei.

"I can't believe it, dattebayo! I'm finally gonna get a Tousan! I can rub it in all those stupid people's faces!" Naruto declared, thinking of all the kids who would be shocked he of all people would get adopted. All the pain he felt would finally be behind him.

"Don't worry, I also included Dante and Reisei. I wanted to adopt Tatsumi too, but the matron said that only the council could decide who adopted you." Apollo said with a sad smile. Tatsumi just lowered her head, "I can still visit right?" there was such hope and hurt in her tone.

"Of course you can dattebayo! We wouldn't have it any other way." Naruto said running over and hugging his best and first friend. Suddenly, an Anbu appeared and told Apollo that the Hokage, along with Homura, wished to see him. Apollo gave the kids thumbs up and left as they headed back to the Orphanage. Once they made it to the Orphanage, Naruto immediately began to work on his calligraphy. He would trace over seals that Apollo provided for him and try to add chakra to them to see if they would work. At the moment he was working on a heating seal. He already had storage seals, anchoring seals, and electricity seals down. The electricity seal was by far his favorite, it gathered the atmospheric electricity and stored it inside the seal. Anything he placed the seal on would get zapped! It made for a fun pranking seal, but his thirst for more couldn't be quenched!

Oh did I forget to mention he did all this upside down on the ceiling? That's a pretty big deal for a six year old. Naruto was always trying to better himself, always training any way he could and just because he was at the Orphanage didn't mean he couldn't train. He even used anchoring seals to keep his supplies from falling. The anchoring seals behaved like someone using the tree climbing exercise by supplying enough chakra for a person or object to stick to the surface. Suddenly, the matron unlocked his door and walked inside, she had a uncharacteristic smile on her face that instantly dropped when she saw what Naruto was doing. It made her uneasy to see him performing, what she knew to be, advanced jutsu that no child should be able to perform.

"You've been adopted!" She said in a singsong tone. Naruto couldn't help but let the warm feeling bubbling inside of him explode as he stopped the flow of chakra and landed on the ground gracefully. All his supplies fell down and he caught them effortlessly. The matron swiftly ushered him to the door where all his friends and Apollo were waiting. Tatsumi gave him a big hug, but she didn't seem sad he was leaving.

"Oh Naru-kun it's a miracle! The council has decided to allow Apollo-niisan to adopt me!" Tatsumi cheered. Naruto couldn't believe what he had heard. He looked to Apollo, who smiled and nodded his head. The matron's face paled at the thought of the Senju princess living with the demon brat, but knew there was nothing she could do about it.

"Alright guys, and girl, grab on, we're going home!" Apollo cheered. Home, the word never sounded so sweet to the blonde Jinchuuriki. Never once did he feel like he had a home until then with his new father and adoptive siblings, his precious people. They all eagerly grabbed a hold of the tall alien and were caught up in a swirl of darkness. When they regained their swirling senses, they were in old Konoha.

"Pick a house and get some rest. Tomorrow we start your real training…" Apollo said darkly. The children had enough sense to gulp, dreading what the tall alien had cooked up for them. Still, they didn't let that spoil their excitement! They each choose a separate house to live in, since each house was a single bedroom, and gave it their own personal touch. Wanting to savor the moment, Apollo gathered them all together and took pictures of the big happy family. No one had a bigger smile than Naruto, who finally understood what it meant to belong and be loved.

The next day was like any other. It was hot outside, the average weather for Konohagakure, and the lion was stalking its next prey… Wait what? Yes an actual lion was walking through old Konoha just as Naruto and the gang were waking up and sitting outside their doors. It took a minute for the situation to sink in, but once the lion roared the kids were on full alert and knew what they had to do. RUUUUUUUUUUUUUN! The lion chased after them, keeping them on their toes as they ran faster and faster still. Eventually, the lion caught up with them and swiped its claws at Naruto. His adoptive siblings watched in horror as the claws ripped into… A log?

"Thank you oh mighty Kawarimi for saving this poor child…" Naruto said from before them. Where did he even get the log? Did it really matter in the presence of the holy Kawarimi? The kids said a silent prayer to the Kawarimi Gods and continued to run as the lion roared its frustrations and gave chase. It was a game of cat and mouse as the kids bowed before the great Kawarimi and the holy one saved them from damnation over and over again. Eventually fatigue started to kick in and the kids realized they needed to find a way to get rid of the overgrown feline.

They were trying to come up with a plan, when Reisei tripped and fell. The others stopped running and went to help their friend, only for the lion to pounce on them. Dante stood in front of them and with a battle cry threw out his palms as if to say stop! From deep within him, his Bakuton (Explosion Release) was awakened. From the mouths on his hands, a medium explosion is unleashed. The impact knocks the lion back, revealing that the lion is actually Apollo? Then to make matters even more confusing, Apollo bursts into a plume of smoke and vanishes.

"Nice." Apollo said from behind them. The kids are startled and almost jump out of their skin as they turn around to see a smirking Apollo.

"What's the big idea sending a lion after us?!" Naruto demanded. Apollo barks with laughter, "Oh please that's nothing. I could have sent a whole pack of lions after you. Besides that was just a Kage Bunshin I henged into a lion. Good job on unlocking your kekkei genkai by the way Dante!" Dante bashfully kicked a rock and looked down in embarrassment. Tatsumi smiled and patted him on the back, while Naruto gave him a high five.

"Now we'll get to the fun stuff! The reason I had you mold all those shapes out of clay, is because your hand mouths are more than just a fashion statement. They're a part of a kinjutsu from Iwagakure that allows one to knead explosive chakra into clay. We'll be training in doing just that, but for now I want twenty laps around old Konoha and if I hear any bitching I'll make it sixty laps." Apollo said. The kids just gulped and started their laps without fuss; twenty beat sixty any day. After their laps Apollo had them do triple the amount of aerobic, anaerobic, and flexibility exercises. Even with all their boundless energy, they were on their last legs by the end of it.

Apollo allowed them to rest for a bit, before he had them practicing their jutsus. Naruto practiced Fuuton: Kamikaze (Wind Release: Divine Wind) to unleash small tornadoes, though he couldn't get the tornadoes to form properly. They would just burst into gusts of wind. Tatsumi practiced Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no jutsu (Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation) but could only get down to her knees. Reisei practiced the Shunshin jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) but could only move short distances, and Dante practiced his Bakuton, though he could only produce small explosions. By the time it was time for bed, they were exhausted beyond relief. They instantly fell asleep when they hit the bed and Apollo chuckled. This was just the beginning…


End file.
